Modular vascular graft for low profile percutaneous delivery

1. A graft assembly, comprising:

a graft having a lumen, a first open end and a second open end;

a first stent graft extension and a second stent graft extension, each comprising a stent and a layer of graft material and the stent extending from a proximal end to a distal end of said layer of graft material, each first and second stent graft extension being disposed in the first and second open end of the graft lumen; and

a proximal anchor member for anchoring the graft in a body, the proximal anchor member including a proximal stent portion, a distal stent portion, and one or more struts which are disposed between adjacent crowns of the proximal stent portion and the distal stent portion, each strut of the one or more struts including a cross sectional area that is the same as or greater than a cross sectional area of either the proximal stent portion or the distal stent portion adjacent the strut at locations of connection of the strut to the proximal stent portion and the distal stent portion, each strut of the one or more struts extending integrally between the proximal stent portion and the distal stent portion such that the strut is continuous with the proximal stent portion and the distal stent portion as part of a single piece of material,

wherein the first and second graft extensions in a deployed configuration expand against a portion of the graft lumen which does not comprise a self-expanding stent or a radially expandable stent that expands in a manner actuated by an outward radial force.

2. The graft assembly of claim 1 ,

wherein the proximal anchor member is secured to a connector ring that is at least partially disposed on the graft.

3. The graft assembly of claim 1 ,

wherein the proximal anchor member is secured to a connector ring that is at least partially embedded in material of the graft.

4. The graft assembly of claim 1 ,

wherein the proximal stent portion includes elongate elements having a radial thickness that is between 0.005 inches and 0.040 inches.

5. The graft assembly of claim 1 ,

wherein the first and second graft extension stent helically extends from the proximal end to the distal end of the layer of graft material.

6. The graft assembly of claim 1 ,

wherein the first and second graft extensions expand against a rigid portion of the graft lumen which does not comprise the stent.

7. The graft assembly of claim 1 ,

wherein the cross sectional area of each strut of the one or more struts is the same as the cross sectional area of the proximal stent portion adjacent the strut at the location of connection of the strut to the proximal stent portion.

8. The graft assembly of claim 1 ,

wherein the cross sectional area of each strut of the one or more struts is the same as the cross sectional area of the distal stent portion adjacent the strut at the location of connection of the strut to the distal stent portion.

9. The graft assembly of claim 1 ,

wherein the cross sectional area of each strut of the one or more struts is greater than the cross sectional area the proximal stent portion adjacent the strut at the location of connection of the strut to the proximal stent portion.

10. The graft assembly of claim 1 ,

wherein the cross sectional area of each strut of the one or more struts is greater than the cross sectional area of the distal stent portion adjacent the strut at the location of connection of the strut to the distal stent portion.

11. The graft assembly of claim 1 , further comprising:

a connector ring that is at least partially disposed on the graft and that includes connector elements that extend proximally beyond a proximal end of the graft;

wherein the proximal anchor member is secured to the connector elements of the connector ring.

12. The graft assembly of claim 1 ,

wherein the first and second graft extensions are retained in the graft lumen by expanding against a rigid portion of the graft.

13. The graft assembly of claim 12 ,

wherein the wire coils have an inner transverse dimension of between 0.005 inches and 0.050 inches.

14. The graft assembly of claim 12 ,

wherein each of the wire coils has an axial length that is at least about 4 times to about 15 times its diameter.

15. A graft assembly, comprising:

a graft having a lumen, a first open end and a second open end;

a first stent graft extension and a second stent graft extension, each comprising a stent disposed within a graft tube and the stent extending from a proximal end to a distal end of said graft tube, each first and second stent graft extension being disposed in the first and second open end of the graft lumen; and

a proximal anchor member for anchoring the graft in a body, the proximal anchor member including a proximal stent portion, a distal stent portion, and one or more struts which are disposed between adjacent crowns of the proximal stent portion and the distal stent portion, each strut of the one or more struts including a cross sectional area that is the same as or greater than a cross sectional area of the proximal stent portion adjacent the strut at a location of connection of the strut to the proximal stent portion, each strut of the one or more struts extending integrally between the proximal stent portion and the distal stent portion such that the strut is continuous with the proximal stent portion and the distal stent portion as part of a single piece of material,

wherein the first and second graft extensions in a deployed configuration expand against a portion of the graft lumen which does not comprise a self-expanding stent or a radially expandable stent that expands in a manner actuated by an outward radial force.

16. The graft assembly of claim 15 ,

wherein the cross sectional area of each strut of the one or more struts is the same as the cross sectional area of the proximal stent portion adjacent the strut at the location of connection of the strut to the proximal stent portion.

17. The graft assembly of claim 15 ,

wherein the cross sectional area of each strut of the one or more struts is greater than the cross sectional area the proximal stent portion adjacent the strut at the location of connection of the strut to the proximal stent portion.

18. A graft assembly, comprising:

a graft having a lumen, a first open end and a second open end;

a first stent graft extension and a second stent graft extension, each comprising a stent disposed within a graft tube and the stent extending from a proximal end to a distal end of said graft tube, each first and second stent graft extension being disposed in the first and second open end of the graft lumen; and

a proximal anchor member for anchoring the graft in a body, the proximal anchor member including a proximal stent portion, a distal stent portion, and one or more struts which are disposed between adjacent crowns of the proximal stent portion and the distal stent portion, each strut of the one or more struts including a cross sectional area that is the same as or greater than a cross sectional area of the distal stent portion adjacent the strut at a location of connection of the strut to the distal stent portion, each strut of the one or more struts extending integrally between the proximal stent portion and the distal stent portion such that the strut is continuous with the proximal stent portion and the distal stent portion as part of a single piece of material, wherein the first and second graft extensions in a deployed configuration expand against a portion of the graft lumen which does not comprise a self-expanding stent or a radially expandable stent that expands in a manner actuated by an outward radial force.

19. The graft assembly of claim 18 ,

wherein the cross sectional area of each strut of the one or more struts is the same as the cross sectional area of the distal stent portion adjacent the strut at the location of connection of the strut to the distal stent portion.

20. The graft assembly of claim 18 ,

wherein the cross sectional area of each strut of the one or more struts is greater than the cross sectional area of the distal stent portion adjacent the strut at the location of connection of the strut to the distal stent portion.